A Teacher’s Influence Never Stops
A match made in the classroom: James Hooker (41) and Jordan Powers (18). Photo courtesy of ABC News
Remember that California teen who moved in with her 41-year-old teacher shortly after her 18th birthday? Well, her mom is fuming (I don’t blame her) and with the help of a California law maker, is fighting for a law that could send her daughter’s former teacher – who now is her live-in boyfriend – to jail.
Take a look at this video from ABC News.
VIDEO: Mom of teen fights for law
As a parent to two boys who will one day be teens, I’m glad that this mother is taking a stand. In my opinion, teachers have a responsibility to educate our children and keep them safe – and not to find their next love interest. That’s what Match.com is for. I mean come on, these people get paid with tax-payers’ money (my money and YOURS) to help prepare these kids for college and beyond – and not to strike up steamy love affairs in the classroom. Can you imagine how confusing and DISTRACTING it is to a teen who is carrying on a secret relationship with a teacher? Don’t teens have enough to handle with peer pressure, raging hormones and self-esteem issues without getting mixed up with a faculty member? How can they concentrate? How can they learn? How can they function socially? How can a teen develop into healthy and confident individual if the very teacher she is supposed to look up to is too busy seducing her rather than inspiring academic excellence and a life-long love of learning?
The point is, these teens can’t. One way or another, it will come back to haunt them in there adult lives. Or worse, affect them like it did my protagonist, Lauren, in my novel, LITTLE 15.
To paraphrase Henry Brooks Adams, a 19th novelist and educator:
“A teacher affects eternity; he can never tell where his influence stops.”
Nuff said.
As a 16-year old, I watched my best friend go through something like this with my English teacher/softball coach and it was so very destructive and sick. Sigh. I agree with you 100%.
Oh, that must have been awful to witness – especially at 16. I bet you felt like your hands were tied. So not only did that teacher’s irresponsibility have a negative affect on your friend, but it also impacted you, and for that I am sorry. Thanks so much for the comment.
What the ef? That teacher needs in patient therapy not a girlfriend from his class!
This happened at UA, you know. I found out years after graduation. Not as severe as this case but you’d still be shocked …